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BULLETIN 


OF 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  TEXAS 


NUMBER  292 
FOUR  TIMES  A  MONTH 


EXTENSION  SERIES  NO.  37 


AUGUST  22,   1913 


SCHOOL  LITERARY  SOCIETIES 

Model  Constitution,  Rules  of  Parlia- 
mentary  Procedure,    and 
Principles  of  Debating 

BY 

EDWIN  DUBOIS  SHURTER 

HEAD  OF  THE  PUBLIC  DISCUSSION  DIVISION,  UNIVERSITY 
DEPARTMENT  OF  EXTENSION 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  TEXAS 
AUSTIN,  TEXAS 

Entered  as  second-class  mail  matter  at  the  postoffice  at  Austin 


5 


CONTENTS 

Model  Constitution  and  By-Laws  for  a  Literary  Society 4 

Rules  of  Parliamentary  Procedure 11 

Principles  of  Debating 20 

Bibliography   30 

Questions  for  Debate 33 


SCHOOL  LITERARY  SOCIETIES 


PKEFACE 

Every  school  that  is  interested  in  the  work  of  the  University 
Interscholastic  League  should  have  at  least  one  literary  or  debat- 
ing society.  Good  live  school  hoys  and  girls  will  indulge  in 
activities  of  some  kind  outside  of  regular  class  work :  wise  teach- 
ers will  try  to  direct  these  activities  along  helpful  lines,  and  the 
benefits  to  be  derived  from  literary  society  work  are  readily  ap- 
parent to  all.  Many  a  public  man  in  Texas  today  will  testify 
to  the  help  he  received  in  a  literary  society  in  developing  a 
talent  for  public  speaking  and  debate,  and  in  general  culture. 
And,  too,  with  reference  to  the  public  speaking  contests  of  the 
University  Interscholastic  League,  literary  society  work  is  essen- 
tial. Latent  talent  needs  development  and  encouragement,  and 
candidates  for  a  declamation  contest  or  for  a  debating  team  should 
by  no  means  be  left  to  a  hit-or-miss  method  of  voluntary  par- 
ticipation. 

The  Department  of  Extension  of  the  University  of  Texas  is 
desirous  of  giving  assistance  to  those  who  are  interested  in  lit- 
erary or  debating  organizations,  whether  it  be  in  the  formation 
of  new  societies  or  in  the  work  of  societies  already  organized. 
With  this  purpose  in  view  the  following  bulletin  has  been  pre- 
pared. It  contains  a  constitution  and  by-laws  for  a  school  lit- 
erary society,  sets  forth  the  principal  rules  of  parliamentary  pro- 
cedure, together  with  a  discussion  of  the  essential  principles  of 
effective  debating.  The  Public  Discussion  Division  of  the  Ex- 
tension Department  has  also  collected  a  number  of  package  li- 
braries on  various  subjects  of  general  interest,  A  list  of  these 
subjects  will  .be  found  in  the  Appendix  to  this  bulletin.  These 
package  libraries  consist  of  books,  pamphlets,  newspaper  and  mag- 
azine clippings,  etc.,  and  they  will  be  loaned  upon  application  for 
a  period  of  two  weeks  to  schools,  literary  societies,  and  citizens 
of  the  State,  the  only  charge  being  the  payment  of  postage  or 
express  both  ways.  Several  bulletins  have  already  been  issued 
containing  either  debates  or  material  for  debates  on  certain  sub- 
jects, and  others  will  be  issued  from  time  to  time.  Any  literary 
or  debating  society  in  Texas  will  be  put  on  the  mailing  list  for 
these  bulletins  by  addressing  a  request  to  the  Division  of  Public 
Discussion. 

For  assistance  in  the  athletic  contests  of  the  University  Inter- 
scholastic League  a  companion  bulletin  to  the  present  one  has 
been  prepared  by  Professor  A.  J.  Eobinson,  Director  of  Inter- 
scholastic Athletics,  entitled  "Physical  Training  and  Athletics." 
This  bulletin  (No.  311)  will  upon  application  be  sent  to  all  in- 
terested. 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


MODEL  CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS  FOE  A  LITER- 
AEY  OR  DEBATING  SOCIETY 

FOREWORD 

The  following  Constitution  and  By-Laws  are  adapted,  for  the 
most  part,  from  those  of  one  of  the  literary  societies  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Texas.  They  have  been  prepared  primarily  for  an 
organization  of  students  in  a  school,  but  may  readily  be  adapted 
to  meet  the  needs  of  other  organizations  with  a  similar  purpose, 
and  should,  of  course,  also  be  modified  by  school  organizations 
in  accordance  with  the  demands  of  local  conditions.  Running 
comments  and  suggestions  are  given  in  small  type  enclosed  in 
brackets. 

CONSTITUTION  OF  THE LITERARY  SOCIETY 

PREAMBLE 

We,  the  students  of  the.  ..... .School,  appreciating  the  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  an  accosiation  which  will  give  us  prac- 
tice in  composition,  debate,  declamation,  extempore  speaking,  and 
parliamentary  practice,  do  hereby  organize  ourselves  into  a  lit- 
erary society  for  such  purpose,  and  agree  to  be  governed  by  the 
following  Constitution  and  By-Laws: 

ARTICLE  I. — Name. 

This  Society  shall  be  known  as  "The Society  of  the 

, .  School."     Its  motto  shall  be ,  and  its  colors 

[It  is  not  necessary  to  have  a  motto  or  colors.] 


SECTION  1. 
or  honorary. 
SECTION  2. 


ARTICLE  II. — Members. 
Membership  in  this  Society  shall  be  either  active 

Any  male  student  of School  may  become  an 

active  member  of  this  Society  by  election  at  any  regular  meet- 
ing, provided  three  members  do  not  vote  against  him,  and  by  the 
payment  of  the  initiation  fee  the  By-Laws  prescribe. 

[It  is  usually  better  to  have  boys  and  girls  organized  in  separate  so- 
cieties.] 

SECTION  3.  Any  person  may  become  an  honorary  member  of 
this  Society  by  election  at  any  regular  meeting,  provided  three 
votes  do  not  appear  against  him.  An  honorary  member  shall  be 
exempt  from  the  payment  of  any  initiation  or  other  fee,  and  shall 


School  Literary  Societies  5 

be  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  an  active  member,  except  vol- 
ing  and  holding  office;  provided,  however,  that 'an  honorary  mem- 
ber may  be  elected  to  the  office  of  Critic. 

[It  is  well  to  interest  certain  older  people  in  the  work  of  the  Society 
by  electing  several  honorary  members  who  will  be  willing  to  attend  meet- 
ings often,  to  act  as  critics,  and  to  give  advice.] 

ARTICLE  III. — Officers. 

SECTION  1.  The  officers  of  this  Society  shall  be  a  President, 
Vice-President,  Secretary,  Treasurer,  Critic,  and  Sergeant-at- 
Arms. 

SECTION  2.  The  officers  shall  be  elected  by  ballot,  by  majority 
vote.  Their  terms  of  office  shall  be  identical  with  the  school 
terms,  and  no  person  shall  be  eligible  to  the  same  office  two  suc- 
cessive terms,  except  that  the  Critic,  if  he  be  an  honorary  mem- 
ber, may  be  re-elected. 

[Assuming  that  the  school  year  consists  of  three  terms,  there  would 
be,  as  this  section  is  drawn,  three  sets  of  officers  each  year.  It  is  well 
to  have  a  change  of  officers  each  term,  so  that  more  men  are  given  ex- 
perience in  the  offices.  However,  if  the  school  year  is  not  divided  into 
three  terms,  but  into  four  quarters,  each  set  of  officers  should  serve  about 
eight  weeks,  so  as  to  have  four  sets  a  year.  This  is  enough.  It  may  be 
advisable  to  fix  definite  dates  for  the  meeting-periods.  Do  not  make 
them  too  long.  Avoid  encroaching  upon  examination  week  or  the  holiday 
season,  and  especially  avoid  prolonging  the  Spring  term  meetings  too  far 
into  the  warm  weather.  Let  the  periods  for  society  work  be  short,  vig- 
orous, and  full  of  life  while  they  last.] 

SECTION  3.  The  officers  shall  be  elected  and  installed  at  the 
last  meeting  of  each  term. 

SECTION  4.  If  a  vacancy  occurs  in  any  office,  the  Society  shall 
forthwith  hold  an  election  to  supply  such  vacancy.  The  officer 
so  elected  shall  be  installed  at  once. 

ARTICLE  IV. — Duties  of  Officers. 

SECTION  1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  to  preside 
at  all  meetings;  to  appoint  officers  pro  tempore;  to  appoint  all 
committes  not  otherwise  provided  for;  to  hear  and  pass  upon 
excuses  for  absence,  non-performance  of  duty,  disorder,  etc'.;  to 
see  that  all  meetings  are  conducted  in  an  orderly  manner  and 
that  parliamentary  procedure  and  this  Constitution  and  By-Laws 
are  duly  followed. 

SECTION  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Vice-President  to  per- 
form all  the  duties  of  the  President  in  the  absence  of  the  latter. 

SECTION  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  to  call  the 
roll  of  members  at  each  meeting  and  note  all  absences;  to  keep 
a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Society  at  each  meeting  and 
to  read  the  same  from  the  minute  book  at  the  following  meeting; 


6    ,  '.    *  ."  *   "Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

'io-.firMsh.tJie'  President  at  each  regular  meeting  with  a  list  of 
'all  members,,  officers,  or  committees  that  have  special  duties  to 
perform  or  reports  to  make  or  that  have  failed  to  perform  their 
duties;  to  do  the  correspondence  for  the  Society  not  otherwise 
provided  for;  to  give  notice  of  special  meetings;  and  to  perform 
such  other  duties  pertaining  to  his  office  as  may  be  required  of 
him  by  the  Society. 

SECTION  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Treasurer  to  take 
charge  of  all  moneys  belonging  to  the  Society;  to  keep  an  accu- 
rate account  of  all  receipts  and  expenditures,  and  at  the  last 
regular  meeting  of  his  term  of  office,  to  make  a  report  of  such 
receipts  and  expenditures,  which  shall  be  included  by  the  Secre- 
tary in  the  minutes;  and  to  turn  over  to  his  successor  in  office 
all  books,  moneys,  and  other  property  in  his  possession  'belonging 
to  the  Society. 

[The  Society  should  buy  for  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  suitable, 
record  books.  The  Secretary  should  be  provided  with  two  books,  one  for 
recording  the  minutes  and  the  other  to  contain  a  copy  of  the  Constitu- 
tion and  By-Laws  and  the  signatures  of  members  received  from  time  to 
time.  These  books  should  be  large  and  well  bound;  it  is  always  inter- 
esting and  sometimes  necessary  to  have  the  old  books  to  which  to  refer.] 

SECTION  5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Critic  to  comment  upon 
the  literary  exercises  at  each  meeting,  offering  criticisms  and  sug- 
gestions for  the  good  of  the  Society  and  its  members. 

[As  previously  suggested,  an  honorary  member  may  be  the  regularly 
elected  Critic.  Sometimes  it  is  advisable  to  appoint  some  visitor  as 
Critic  for  a  particular  meeting.] 

SECTION  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  to 
act  as  doorkeeper;  to  distribute  and  collect  ballots  in  voting;  to 
enforce  the  orders  of  the  Chair,  and  to  report  to  the  Chair  the 
names  of  all  members  guilty  of  disorderly  conduct,  the  names 
of  those  who  leave  the  room  during  the  exercises  without  the 
permission  of  the  Chair  and  of  those  who  in  any  manner  inter- 
fere with  the  proceedings  of  the  Society. 

ARTICLE  V. — Program  Committee. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  his  term  of  office,  the  President  shall 
appoint  two  persons  who,  together  with  himself,  shall  act  as  a 
Program  Committee.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Committee  to 
make  out  the  programs  for  the  literary  exercises,  including  the 
selection  of  questions  for  debate,  and  report  each  program  to  the 
Society  at  least  two  weeks  in  advance.  This  Committee  shall 
so  arrange  its  programs  as  to  place  each  active  member  upon  a 
program  at  as  regular  intervals  as  is  practicable.  The  Society 
may  modify  or  completely  change  any  program  in  the  meeting 


School  Literary  Societies  7 

at  which  it   is   reported.     Each   Program    Committee   shall  hold  _ 
office  until  the  first  meeting  of  the  succeeding  term. 

[It  will  frequently  be  advisable  to  place  a  teacher  or  other  honorary- 
member  upon  the  Program  Committee.  The  Committee  should  have  some 
regular  place  to  post  the  programs  for  two  weeks  in  advance,  so  that  no 
member  can  fail  to  know  when  he  is  to  appear.  The  Program  Committee 
holds  over  one  week  after  the  installation  of  officers  in  order  that  the 
continuity  of  programs  may  not  be  destroyed.] 

ARTICLE  VI. — Amendments. 

This  Constitution  may  be  amended  at  any  regular  meeting  by 
two-thirds  vote  of  members  present  and  voting;  provided,  how- 
ever., that  a  proposed  amendment  must  be  submitted  in  writing 
at  a  regular  meeting  and  lie  on  the  table  at  least  one  week. 


BY-LAWS. 
ARTICLE  I. — Meetings. 

SECTION  1.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  Society  shall  be  held 
on of  each  week  at ....  o'clock. 

SECTION  2.  A  special  meeting  may  be  called  by  the  President 
on  his  own  motion  and  must  be  called  upon  request  of  five  mem- 
bers. The  President  shall  see  that  the  Secretary  gives  due  notice 
of  such  meeting. 

SECTION  3.  One-third  of  the  active  members  shall  constitute 
a  quorum. 

SECTION  4.  All  questions  of  parliamentary  procedure  not  pro- 
vided for  in  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  and  in  this  Bulletin, 
shall  be  governed  by  Roberts'  Rules  of  Order. 

ARTICLE  II. — Order  of  Business. 

SECTION  1.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  Society  shall  observe 
the  following  order  of  procedure: 

1.  Roll  call. 

2.  Reading  and  adoption  of  minutes. 

3.  Installation  of  officers. 

4.  Election  and  initiation  of  members. 

5.  Literary  exercises: 

a.  Music. 

b.  Oration  or  declamation   (or  both). 

c.  Appointment  of  judges  in  debate. 

d.  Debate. 

e.  Decision  of  Judges. 

f.  Extemporaneous     discussions     (three-minute    limit) 

and  parliamentary  practice. 

g.  Critic's  report. 


8  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

6.  Hearing  of  excuses  for  absence,  tardiness,  etc. 

7.  Reports  of  committees. 

8.  Reports  of  officers. 

9.  Election  of  officers. 

10.  Unfinished  business. 

11.  New  business. 

12.  Suggestion  for  good   of   Society    (including   addresses  by 
visitors) . 

13.  Reading  of  programs  for  next  two  meetings. 

14.  Adjournment. 

[Nbs.  3  and  9  will  of  course  be  passed  over  except  at  certain  meetings, 
and  #the  literary  program  will  be  modified  as  desired.  The  oration  or 
declamation  should  not  be  more  than  five  or  six  minutes  in  length — 
•especially  if  both  are  included  in  a  program.  The  Program  Committee 
should  guard  against  making  the  exercises  so  long  that  they  become 
tiresome.  Let  the  program  be  relatively  short  and  snappy.  One  or  two 
public  programs  should  be  arranged  each  year.  These  might  well  in- 
clude, by  arrangement  with  the  school  authorities,  the  final  preliminary 
contests  in  debate  and  declamation  to  determine  the  school's  representa- 
tives in  the  county  contests  of  the  University  Interscholastic  League. 
Gret  citizens  to  offer  prizes  to  the  winners  in  the  local  contests.] 

SECTION  2.  In  the  regular  debates  of  this  Society  there  shall 
be  three  speakers  on  each  side.  Each  speaker  shall  have  six  (6)' 
minutes  for  the  main  speeches,  alternating  affirmative-negative, 
and  the  leader  on  each  side  shall  have  three  (3)  minutes  for  re- 
buttal after  the  main  speeches  are  finished,  the  affirmative  leader 
having  the  last  rebuttal. 

[The  time  as  given  may  be  varied  as  desired,  but  it  should  be  short- 
ened rather  than  increased.  Three  on  a  side  are  enough  for  a  successful 
debate.  If  the  membership  is  small,  two  on  a  side  might  be  better.] 

ARTICLE  III. — Installation  of  Officers. 

The  installation  of  officers  shall  be  conducted  in  the  following 
manner:  The  retiring  S'ergeant-at-Arms  shall  escort  the  newly- 
elected  officers  before  the  Chair,  and  the  retiring  President  shall 
administer  the  following  oath  of  office:  "Do  you,  and  each  of 
you,  promise  to  support  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  this 
Society,  and  to  discharge  to  the  best  of  your  ability  the  duties  of 
the  office  to  which  you  have  been  elected?"  Upon  receiving  an 
affirmative  answer  to  this  oath,  the  retiring  President  shall  de- 
clare the  officers  duly  installed,  and  surrender  the  Chair  to  his 
successor. 

[During  the  administering  of  the  oath,  the  members  of  the  Society 
should  stand,  and  the  new  officers  should  raise  their  right  hands.] 


School  Literary  Societies  9 

ARTICLE  IV. — Initiation  of  Members. 

Newly  elected  active  members  shall  be  initiated  in  the  follow- 
ing manner:  The  Sergeant-at-Arms  shall  bring  the  member- 
elect  before  the  President,  who  shall  read  to  him  the  Preamble 
of  the  Constitution,  and  say:  "Do  you  solemnly  promise  upon 
your  honor  as  a,  gentleman,  to  support  the  Constitution  and  By- 
Laws  of  this  Soi-iety,  to  discharge  to  the  best  of  your  ability  all 
duties  required  of  you,  and  to  labor  in  all  honorable  ways  for 
its  advancement?"  Upon  receiving  an  "affirmative  answer  the 
President  shall  direct  the  member-elect  to  sign  the  Constitution 
and  to  pay  his  initiation  fee,  after  which  the  President  shall  say: 

"Mr .  .,  I  now  take  pleasure  in  extending  to  you  a 

cordial  welcome  to  our  organization  and  in  declaring  you  entitled 
to  all  the  advantages  and  privileges  of  a  duly  initiated  active 
member  of  this  Society." 

ARTICLE  V. — Fees,  Dues,  and  Taxes. 

SECTION  1.  Each  member  of  the  Society  shall  pay  an  initia- 
tion fee  of  $1.00. 

SECTION  2.     The  dues  of  each  member  shall  be  25c  a  term. 

SECTION  3.  By  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present  and 
voting,  the  Society  may  levy  a  tax  equally  upon  all  active  mem- 
bers. 

[Fees  and  dues  will,  of  course,  vary  with  different  localities.  It  is  a 
good  plan  to  make  a  member  feel,  by  the  payment  of  an  initiation  fee, 
that  it  is  worth  something  to  belong  to  the  Society.  Further,  if  the 
'Society  intends  to  send  representatives  to  he  contests  of  the  University 
Intel-scholastic  League,  the  traveling  expenses  of  the  contestants  chosen 
.should  be  provided  for  in  advance.] 

ARTICLE  VI. — Fines  and  Delinquencies. 

SECTION  1.  The  following  shall  be  finable  offenses  in  the 
amounts  as  stated: 

(a)  Disorderly  conduct  during  a  meeting  o  fthe  Society,   5c' 
to  25e. 

(b)  Failure   of   an    officer   or   committeeman   to   perform   his 
duty,  25c. 

(c)  Failure   of    any   member   to    appear   on    the   program    as 
.assigned,  25c. 

(d)  Absence  from  any  meeting  without  valid  excuse,  25c. 

(e)  Leaving  the  room  during  a  meeting  without  permission, 
5c. 

(f)  Any  offiense  not  included  in  the  above,  in  the  discretion 
of  the  President,  not  over  25c. 


10 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


A  valid  excuse  for  (b),  (c),  and  (d)  above  shall  be  absence 
from  town,  or  sickness.  All  excuses  for  above  offenses  shall  be 
considered  and  passed  upon  by  the  President  under  the  proper 
order  of  business,  and  his  decisions  thereon  can  be  overruled  only 
by  a  two-thirds  vote. 

SECTION  2.  Any  member  who  is  two  weeks  in  arrears  in  the 
payment  of  any  fees,  dues,  taxes  or  fines  shall  be  reported  to  the 
Society  by  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer  conjointly.  The  Presi- 
dent shall  thereupon  appoint  a  special  committee  to  wait  upon 
such  delinquent  member  and  report  at  the  next  meeting.  In 
case  no  satisfactory  excuse  is  reported,  such  delinquent  member 
shall  be  suspended  from  the  Society,  and  in  case  arrearages  are 
not  arranged  for  at  or  before  the  next  regular  meeting,  such 
member  may  be  expelled;  provided,  however,  that  the  Society 
may,  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present  and  voting, 
remit  any  fees,  dues,  taxes  or  fines  in  such  special  cases  as  may 
seem  to  require  such  action. 

SECTION"  3.  All  fines  shall  be  levied  by  the  President  except 
fines  for  disorderly  conduct  during  a  meeting,  which  shall  be 
levied  by  either  the  President  or  the  Sergeant-at-Arms. 

[The  provisions  of  the  preceding  article  may  seem  over-refined  and 
rather  severe,  and  some  societies  should  doubtless  change  or  omit  them. 
It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  success  of  any  society  de- 
pends upon  the  faithfulness  of  its  individual  members.  Delinquents  and 
drones  will  demoralize  the  whole  body,  and  the  Society  is  far  better  off 
without  them.  If  this  article  is  retained,  it  should  be  strictly  enforced; 
it  should  be  administered  with  discretion,  but  at  the  same  time  with  no 
lack  of  backbone.] 

ARTICLE  VII. — Miscellaneous  Provisions. 

SECTION  1.  No  member  can  honorably  sever  his  relations  with 
this  Society  until  all  his  financial  obligations  to  it  are  settled. 

SECTION  2.  Voting  shall  be  either  viva  voce,  by  the  uplifted 
hand,  or  by  rising  vote.  Upon  request  of  three  members  any 
vote  shall  be  taken  by  ballot, 

SECTION  3.  Unless  otherwise  provided  in  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws,  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  requisite  for  elec- 
tion or  the  carrying  of  any  motion. 

SECTION  4.  It  shall  require  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members 
present  (a)  to  suspend  any  of  the  By-Laws  of  this  Society  or  (b) 
to  adjourn  before  -the  regular  order  of  business  is  finished. 

ARTICLE  VIII. — Amendments. 

Any  article  or  section  of  these  By-Laws  may  be  amended  at 
any  regular  meeting  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  active  members 
present  and  voting. 


School  Literary  Societies  11 


RULES  OF  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE 

FOREAVORD 

Every  American  citizen  should  know  at  least  the  simpler  rules 
of  parliamentary  law.  It  is  sometimes  said  that  a  man  who  un- 
derstands parliamentary  procedure  may  get  what  he  wants.  At 
any  rate,,  a  person  who  does  not  know  how  to  proceed  before  a 
deliberative  assembly  is  very  seriously  handicapped.  In  the  course 
of  time  a  large  number  of  rules  have  been  formulated  to  govern 
the  actions  of  assemblies.  We  shall  make  no  attempt  to  go  into 
the  details  and  the  finer  points  regarding  such  rules.  The  rules 
that  follow  are  those  which'  every  citizen  ought  to  know,  and  will 
usually  be  found  sufficient  for  the  conduct  of  a  literary  or  debat- 
ing society.  It  would  be  well  for  the  members  of  a  society,  and 
particularly  the  president,  to  have  at  hand  a  standard  treatise  on 
parliamentary  law  such  as  Roberts'  "Rules  of  Order,"  and  to  de- 
vote five  or  ten  minutes  occasionally  at  the  meetings  to  drill  in 
procedure. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  parliamentary  rules  are  for 
the  purpose  of  assisting  in  dispatching  business,  and  not  to  pre- 
vent or  hinder.  True,  one  is  wholly  justified  in  raising  questions 
of  procedure  relative  to  a  motion  which  he  is  either  favoring  or 
opposing,  but  he  who  raises  technical  objections  merely  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  his  knowledge  of  parliamentary  law  is  a  pub- 
lic nuisance. 

ORGANIZATION    OJF    THE    SOCIETY 

The  ordinary  procedure  in  presenting  and  deciding  matters  be- 
fore a  meeting  can  be  illustrated  by  considering  for  a  moment 
the  organization  of  a  literary  or  debating  society.  Suppose  a 
few  students  are  interested  in  public  speaking  and  debating  and 
wish  to  form  an  organization  for  the  study  and  practice  of  these 
arts.  They  meet  together  informally  and  talk  over  the  prospects 
for  a  successful  society.  If  prospects  seem  encouraging,  a  notice 
is  given  of  a  time  .and  place  of  meeting  for  the  organization  of 
such  a  society.  Upon  meeting  someone  rises  and  says,  for  in- 
stance, "Gentlemen,,  since  we  have  decided  to  form  a  literary 
society,  I  suggest  that  we  proceed  to  business.  I  nominate  Mr. 
Smith  for  temporary  chairman  of  the  meeting."  Someone  seconds 
the  motion,  and  the  member  making  the  nomination  puts  the  ques- 
tion. Mr.  Smith  is  declared  elected  and  takes  the  chair.  The 
chairman  then  calls  for  nominations  for  a  temporary  secretary, 
and  Mr.  Jones  rises  and  says,  "Mr.  Chairman." 

Chairman:     "Mr.  Jones."  „ 

Mr.  Jones :     "Mr.  Chairman,  I  nominate  Mr.  Thompson." 


12 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


The  chair  then  calls  for  other  nominations,  and  if  there  are 
none  he  puts  the  question,  and  Mr.  Thompson  is  declared  elected. 
The  meeting  is  then  organized  and  can  proceed  to  business,  the 
temporary  secretary  keeping  full  minutes  of  what  takes  place. 
The  next  step  would  usually  be  to  appoint  a  committee  to  draw 
up  a  constitution  and  by-laws  for  the  organization,  or,  if  it  is 
desired  to  use  the  constitution  in  this  bulletin,  the  ftneeting 
could  at  once  take  up  the  discussion  of  it,  section  by  section, 
making  any  changes  they  desire.  Whenever  the  constitution  is 
adopted,  the  next  thing  is  to  elect  the  permanent  officers.  These 
officers  may  be  installed  at  this  or  at  a  second  meeting.  As  soon 
as  the  installation  takes  place  the  president  should  at  once  appoint 
any  standing  committees  provided  for  in  the  constitution.  A 
program  should  be  arranged  for  the  next  meeting,  and  thereafter 
the  meetings  should  be  conducted  in  accordance  with  the  "Order 
of  Business"  as  specified  in  the  by-laws. 

All  business  is  introduced  to  the  society  in  some  form  of  a 
resolution  or  motion.  The  general  form  of  presenting  a  motion 
has  been  shown  above.  In  dealing  with  a  motion,  these  four  steps 
are  always  to  be  observed: 

(1)  A  member  arises  from  the  floor  and,  after  addressing  the 
chair  and  securing  recognition,  he  presents  his  motion. 

(2)  After  the  motion  has  been  seconded,  the  presiding  officer 
states  it.     It  is  then  before  the  assembly  for  such  discussion  as 
may  be  desired. 

(3)  When  the  debate  is  closed  on  the  motion,  the  question  is 
put  to  vote  by  the  chairman. 

(4)  The   result   of   the   vote   is   announced   by   the   presiding 
officer. 

GENERAL    TERMS 

Quorum. — The  usual  practice  in  any  deliberative  society  is  to 
require  the  presence  of  one-half  of  the  active  membership  to 
transact  any  business,  except  to  adjourn,  which  may  be  done  by 
any  number.  If  there  is  really  no  objection  to  the  business  to 
be  transacted,  the  question  of  a  quorum  need  not  be  raised.  The 
by-laws  of  the  society  may  prescribe  a  different  number  to  con- 
stitute a  quorum. 

Voting. — Except  as  otherwise  provided  in  the  by-laws,  voting 
on  a  motion  or  resolution  is  usually  done  viva  voce.  That  is,  all 
in  favor  of  the  motion  say  "Aye,"  all  opposed  "No."  In  case  of 
a  tie  the  chairman's  vote  decides.  In  case  of  doubt  as  to  the 
result  of  a  vote,  any  member  may  call  for  a  rising  vote,  or  the 
chairman  himself  may,  of  his  own  accord,  call  for  such  a  vote. 
When  it  is  desired  to  keep  secret  how  individuals  vote  on  a 
question,  a  motion  may  be  made  to  vote  by  ballot.  By  a  majority 
vote  the  society  may  also  order  the  secretary  to  call  the  names  of 


School  Literary  Societies  13 

members  to  vote  on  any  motion.     If  in   favor,  a  member  votes 
"Aye,"  if  opposed  "No." 

Reports  of  Committees. — Under  the  regular  order  of  business 
the  chairman  of  the  committee  secures  the  floor  and  says,  "The 

committee  on .begs  leave  to  report  that (gives 

report) all   of  which  is  respectfully  submitted."     A 

minority  of  the  committee  differing  from  the  majority  may  also 
present  a  report  in  the  same  manner. 

CLASSIFICATION    OF    MOTIONS 

Motions  are  usually  divided  into  four  general  classes:  Prin- 
cipal, Privileged,  Incidental,  and  Subsidiary. 

Principal  Motion. — Any  motion  which  brings  original  business 
before  the  house  is  known  as  the  principal  motion,  or  the  main 
question,  after  it  has  been  put  by  the  presiding  officer.  It  is  the 
general  rule  that  when  the  main  question  is  regularly  before  the 
house  no  other  question  can  arise  unless,  it  be  a  motion  offered 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  disposition  of  the  main  question. 
The  purpose  of  motions  affecting  the  main  question  before  the 
house  may  be  indicated  as  follows: 

1.  If  a  member  desires  entirely  to  shut  off  further  action  on 
the  subject,  he  makes  a  motion  either   (a)    to  lay  on  the  table, 
or  (b)  to  postpone  indefinitely. 

2.  If  a  member  desires  to  put  off  to  some  future  time  action 
on  any  matter,  he  make  a  motion  either  to    (a)    postpone  to  a 
certain  time,  or   (b)   to  lay  on  the  table. 

3.  If  a  member  desires  to  stop  further  discussion  and  bring 
the  main  question  at  once  to  vote,  he  makes  a.  motion  either   (a) 
for  the  previous  question  or  (b)  to  limit  debate. 

4.  If  a  member  is  generally  favorable  to  the  principal  motion, 
but  wishes  to  have  it  passed  in  a  modified  or  altered  form,  he 
makes  a  motion  either    (a)    to  commit,  refer,  or  recommit  to  a 
committee,  or   (b)   to  amend. 

5.  If  a  member  desires  that  the   action  of  a  society  already 
taken  on  some  matter  be  changed,  he  makes  a  motion  either  to 
reconsider  or  to  rescind. 

6.  If  a  member  thinks  that  the  society  is  not  proceeding  ac- 
cording to  parliamentary  rules,  he  arises  to  a  point  of  order;  and, 
if  his  point  of  order  is  not  sustained  by  the  presiding  officer,  he 
may  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  chair. 

PRIVILEGED    MOTIONS 

Let  us  now  look  at  the  various  specific  motions  a  little  more 
in  detail.  Certain  of  these  are  called  "privileged"  because  they 
are  entitled  to  precedence  over  all  other  motions.  Generally  speak- 


14  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

ing,  they  are  always  in  order,  and  any  other  matter  or  business 
must  yield  to  them.     The  privileged  motions  are  as  follows : 

1.  To  Adjourn. — The  motion  simply  to  adjourn   (that  is,  un- 
qualified) although  always  in  order,  has  the  following  limitations : 
It  supersedes  all  other  questions  except  fixing  the  time  for  the 
next  meeting;  it  cannot  be  received  while  a  member  is  speaking 
unless  he  consents  to  give  way  for  that  purpose;   it  cannot   be 
entertained  while  a  vote  is  being  taken  upon  another  motion;  it 
cannot  be  debated,  amended,  committeed,  postponed,  reconsidered, 
or  laid  on  the  table.     It  cannot,  after  being  once  voted  down,  be 
renewed  unless  other  business  intervenes.     If  qualified  as  to  time, 
or  in  any  other  manner,  a  motion  to  adjourn  ceases  to  be  priv- 
ileged and  becomes  a  main  question. 

2.  Questions  of  Privilege. — This  has   reference   to   the   rights 
and  privileges  of  the  assembly  and  of  its  members.     It  does  not 
require    a    second;    a   majority    carries    the    motion.     It    can    be 
amended,  debated,  committed,  postponed,  reconsidered,  or  laid  on 
the  table.     The  form  of  presenting  a.  question  of  privilege  is  as 
follows : 

Member:     "I    rise    to    a    question    of    privilege."     Chairman: 

"State  your  question."     Member:     "I  am  charged  with " 

The  chairman  makes  a  ruling  which  is  subject  to  appeal  from  the 
decision  of  the  chair. 

3.  Order  of  Business. — The  order  of  business  as  fixed  by  the 
by-laws  must  be  followed  at  each  meeting  unless  changed  by   a 
two-thirds  vote  of  the  society.     A  motion  for  a  special  order  does 
not  require  a  second,  requires  two-thirds  vote  for  passage,  is  not 
debatable,  cannot  be  amended,  postponed,  reconsidered,  or  laid  on 
the  table,  and  is  not  subject  to  previous  question. 

INCIDENTAL    MOTIONS 

These  motions  are  entitled  to  precedence  over  all  except  priv- 
ileged questions,  and  must  be  disposed  of  when  they  arise. 

The  incidental  motions  are  as  follows: 

Questions  of  Order. — When  a  point  of  order  is  raised,  the 
'Chairman  makes  a  ruling  which  stands  as  final  unless  the  assem- 
bly takes  the  matter  into  its  own  hands  by  an  appeal  from  the 
decision  of  the  chair.  A  motion  to  appeal  from  the  decision  of 
the  chair  requires  a  second,  requires  majority  vote,  is  not  de- 
batable (as  a  general  rule),  cannot  be  amended,  committed,  or 
postponed,  cannot  be  renewed  after  once  decided,  is  not  in  order 
when  another  appeal  is  pending.  In  case  of  a  tie  vote  the  chair 
is  sustained.  The  procedure  in  an  appeal  from  the  decision  of 
the  chair  is  as  follows:  Member:  "I  rise  to  a  point  of  order." 
Chairman :  "State  your  point."  The  member  then  states  his  point, 
the  chairman  making  his  ruling  thereon.  Member:  "I  appeal 


School  Literary  Societies  15 

from  the  decision  of  the  chair."     Chairman:     "The  question  isr 
'Shall  the  chair  be  sustained?'  or,  'Shall  the  decision  of  the  clrarr- 
stand  as  the  decision  of  the  assembly  T '' 

2.  To  Withdraw  a  Motion. — When  a  motion  is  regularly  made 
and  seconded,  it  cannot  be  withdrawn  except  by  a  vote  of  the  as- 
sembly.    This  is  accomplished  by  a  motion  that  the  member  be 
allowed  to  withdraw  his  motion.     This  is  decided  by  a  majority 
vote.,  does  not  require  a  second,  cannot  be  debated.,  amended,  com- 
mitted,, or  postponed,  is  not  subject  to  previous  question,  can  be- 
reconsidered  or  laid  on  the  table. 

3.  To  Suspend  a  Rule. — Whenever  it  is  desired  to  depart  from 
the  regular  order  of  business,  a   motion  to   suspend  the  rule  is 
in  order.     In  case  there  is  no   objection  to  doing  a  thing  con- 
trary to  rule,  there  is  no  need  for  a  motion.     The  constitution 
and  by-laws  of  the  society,  however,  cannot  be  suspended.     A  mo- 
tion to   suspend  a  rule  requires  a   second,   requires  a  two-thirds 
vote,  cannot  be  debated,  amended,   committed,  postponed,  recon- 
sidered, or  laid  on  the  table.     It  cannot  be  renewed  at  the  same 
meeting.     An  undebatable  question  cannot  be  made  debatable  by 
suspending  the  rule. 

4.  To  Reconsider. — When  a  motion  has  once  been  duly  passed 
it  cannot  be  reconsidered  by  the  society  except  by  formal  motion. 
A  motion  to  reconsider  a  main  question  must  be  made  by  someone 
who  voted  for  it  when  the  motion  was  carried    (else  a  majority 
might  indefinitely  prolong  the  debate),  and  it  must  be  made  at 
the  same  or  the  next  succeeding  meeting.     If  the  motion  to  re- 
consider is  lost,  the  main  question  is  finally  disposed  of;  if  the 
motion  to  reconsider  is  carried,  the  main  question  is  again  be- 
fore the  house.     A  motion  to  reconsider  requires  a  second,  ma- 
jority vote,  is  debatable  if  the  main  question  to  which  it  refers  is 
debatable,   cannot  be  amended,   committed,   postponed,   or   recon- 
sidered.    It  can  be  laid  on  the  table,  not  tabling  the  main  ques- 
tion.    An  assembly  cannot  reconsider  motions  to  adjourn,  to  sus- 
pend the  rules,  or  to  reconsider.     If  a  motion  to   reconsider  is 
carried,  the  original  question  is  again  before  the  house  as  if  it 
had  never  been  acted  on. 

SUBSIDIARY    MOTIONS 

The  object  of  subsidiary  motions  is  to  postpone  or  modify 
action  on  the  principal  motion,  definitely  or  indefinitely;  i.  e., 
the}''  help  to  dispose  of  main  questions  and  have  to  be  decided 
before  the  main  question  to  which  they  apply.  They  yield  to 
privileged  or  incidental  questions.  The  subsidiary  motions  are : 

1.  To  Lay  on  the  Table. — This  motion  is  usually  resorted  to 
when  it  is  desired  to  put  aside  a  question  either  temporarily  or 
more  or  less  indefinitely.  A  motion  laid  on  the  table  may  be  taken 
up.  again  whenever  the  assembly  so  desires.  It  cannot  be  debated. 


16  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

committed,  amended,  or  postponed,  is  not  subject  to  previous 
question,  and  cannot  itself  be  laid  on  the  table.  If  carried,  this 
motion  lays  on  the  table  the  principal  motion  and  all  secondary 
to  it. 

2.  Previous  Question. — The  object  of  this  motion  is  to  shut 
off  further  debate  and  to  bring-  the  main  question  to  a  vote  at 
once.     It  applies  only  to  debatable  questions.     If  carried  it  puts 
the  main  question  without  delay  before  the  house.     It  requires  a 
two-thirds  vote,  must  be  seconded,  cannot  be  debated,  amended, 
committed,    or    postponed,    is    not    subject    to    previous    question, 
cannot  be  reconsidered  if  lost,  can  be  reconsidered  if  carried.     It 
can  be  laid  on  the  table — carries  with  it  entire  subject — main  and 
secondary  motion.     If  lost,  it  leaves  the  main  question  a,s  before 
open  to  debate.     Eesort  to  this  motion  is  sometimes  called  apply- 
ing the  "gag  law,"  and  should  be  resorted  to  only  when  the  dis- 
cussion of  a  motion  has  been  unnecessarily  prolonged.     The  form 
of  the  motion  is   as  follows :     Member :     "I   move   the   previous 
question/7     Upon  receiving  a  second,  the  chairman  puts  the  mo- 
tion as  follows :     "Shall  the  main  question  be  now  put  ?" 

3.  Postpone  to  Time  Certain. — When  the  assembly  is  willing 
to  consider  a  motion,  but  not  at  a  time  when  it   is  made,  the 
motion  to  postpone  to  a  definite  time  is  in  order.     Such  a  motion 
requires  a  majority  vote,  can  be  debated,  can  be  amended  as  to 
time,  cannot  be  committed  or  postponed.     A  question  postponed 
to  a  time  certain  can  be  taken  up  before  that  time  arrives  by  a 
two-thirds  vote. 

4.  To  Commit,  Refer,  or  Recommit. — When  an  assembly  is  not 
ready  to  vote  on  a  question,  such  question  may  be  sent  to  a  com- 
mittee for  consideration  and  report,  or  it  may  be  referred  to  a 
special  committee,  or,  if  the  assembly  wishes  further  action  by  a 
committee,  it  may  be  recommitted  to  such  committee. 

5.  To   Amend. — A   motion   to   amend    is    properly    a   motion 
friendly  to  the  proposition  to  be  amended,  its  object  being  to  cor- 
rect or  improve  the  form  or  statement  of  the  principal  motion. 
Amendments  are  made  by  the  insertion,  addition,  substitution,  or 
omission  of  words  or  sentences.     In  general,  a  motion  to  amend 
is  subject  to  the  same  rules  as  the  question  to  which  it  is  applied. 
If  a  main  question  is  committed,  postponed,  or  laid  on  the  table, 
it  takes  all  amendments  with  it.     An  amendment  is  always  put 
before  the  main  question.     An  amendment  to  an  amendment  can 
not   be   amended;    if   one   amendment   to    an    amendment    is   not 
satisfactory,  it  must  be  voted  down  and  another  substituted.     An 
amendment  must   be   germane   to   the  motion  which   it   seeks   to 
modify;  that  is,  it  must  not  relate  to  a  wholly  different  matter. 

By  way  of  summary,  the  following  are 

Questions  not  debatable:     Points  of  Order,  motions  to  adjourn, 


School  Literary  Societies  17 

for  the  previous  question,  to  lay  on  the  table,  and  to  change  the 
order  of  business. 

Motions  not  requiring  a  second  are:  Nominations,,  questions 
of  privilege,  orders  of  the  day,  objection  to  the  consideration  of  a 
question. 

Motions  requiring  a  two-thirds  vote  to  carry  are:  To  change 
the  order  of  business,  to  suspend  a  rule,  previous  question,  objec- 
tion to  the  consideration  of  a,  question. 

The  tabular  statement  that  follows,  adapted  from  a  bulletin 
issued  by  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  will  be  found  helpful  for 
ready  reference. 

Finally,  let  it  be  said  again  that  the  procedure  in  all  deliber- 
ative bodies  should  be  carried  on  in  an  orderly  manner,  and  it  is 
better  for  school  literary  societies  to  train  themselves  in  excessive 
care  for  forms  of  procedure  rather  than  to  conduct  meetings  in  a 
slip-shod  fashion.  The  president  should  see  that  order  is  duly 
preserved;  that  all  motions  are  made  in  due  form;  that  there  is 
only  one  matter  of  business  considered  at  a  time;  that  all  dis- 
cussion be  limited  to  the  motion  before  the  house;  and  that,  after 
a  member  has  secured  the  floor  in  proper  form,  he  be  heard  with- 
out interruption,  except  on  a  point  of  order. 


IS' 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

TABULAR    STATEMENT   OF   MOTIONS,   WITH 


MOTIONS  IN  ORDER 
OF  RANK 

Must   it 
be  Sec- 
onded? 

What 
Majority 
for   Pas- 
sage? 

Is  it  Debat- 
able? 

Does  it  Open 
Main  Ques- 
tion to  De- 
bate? 

1.     To  Adjourn  

Yes 

Majority 

No 

No 

2.     Question  of  Privilege  

No 

Majority 

Yes 

No 

3.     Orders  of  the  Day  (Spe- 
cial)   

No 

Two- 
thirds 

No 

No 

4.     Appeal  from  Decision  of 
Chair,  Questions  of  Order 

Yes 

Majority 

Yes—  each 
member 
may  speak  once 

No 

5.     To  Withdraw  motion  

No 

Majority 

No 

No 

6.     To  Suspend  a  Rule  

Yes 

Two- 
thirds 

No 

No 

7.     To  Reconsider  

Yes 

Majority 

Yes,  if  main 
question  is 

Yes 

8.     To  Lay  on  the  Table  
To  take  from  the  Table.... 

Yes 

Majority 

No 

No 

9.     Previous  Question  

Yes 

Two- 
thirds 

No 

No 

10.     To  Postpone  to  Certain 
Time  

Yes 

Majority 

Yes  —  as  to 
time 

No 

11.     To  Commit,  Refer  or  Re- 
commit   

Yes 

Majority 

Yes 

Yes 

12.     To  Amend  

Yes 

Majority 

Yes,  if  main 
question  is 

No 

13.     To  Postpone  Indefinite- 
ly   

Yes 

Majority 

Yes 

Yes 

14.     The  Principal  Motion  

Yes 

Majority 

Yes 

Yes 

School  Literary  Societies 

THE  PRINCIPAL  RULES  APPLYING  TO  EACH. 


Can  it  be 
Amended? 

Can  it  be 
Commit- 
ted? 

Can  it  be 
Postpon- 
ed? 

[s  it  subject 
to  previous 
Question? 

Can  it  be 
Reconsid- 
ered? 

Can  it  be 
Laid  on  the 
Table? 

Can  it  be 
Renewed?' 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes  —  after 
other   busi- 
ness   inter- 
venes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes, 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes  —  sus- 
tains chair 
if  carried 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes-affects 
only     recon- 
sideration 

No 

Yes  —  does 
not   table 
main  ques- 
tion 

Yes 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No— 
neg.  vote 
Yes— 
affirm,  vote 

No 

1 

Yes 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes—  tables 
entire  sub- 
ject 

Yes 

Yes  —  as  to 
time 

No 

No 

Yes  —  does 
not  apply  to 
main  ques- 
tion 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes. 

Yes 

No 

No 

Yes  —  forces 
vote  at  once 

Yes 

Yes—  tables 
entire  sub- 
ject 

Yes 

Yes  —  not  an 
amendment 
to  an 
amendment 

Yes-takes 
principal 
motion 

Yes—  Post- 
pones main 
question 

Yes  —  forces 
vote  at  once 

Yes 

Yes  —  tables 
entire  sub- 
ject 

No> 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes  —  does 
not  affect 
main  ques- 
tion 

Yes] 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

20  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

PEINCIPLES  OF  DEBATING 

FOREWORD 

Every  citizen  should  know  at  least  the  elementary  principles  of 
debating.  Widespread  and  intelligent  discussion  is  the  very  life 
of  a  democratic  government.  A  large  part  of  this  discussion  takes 
the  form  of  argument;  it  represents  an  attempt  by  one  person, 
through  a  process  of  reasoning,  to  get  others  to  accept  his  views. 

Further,  the  disciplinary  value  of  debate,  the  development  of 
the  reasoning  faculties,  the  training  in  the  logical  organization 
and  clear  expression  of  thought,  the  information  acquired  on  cur- 
rent public  questions,  the  tolerance  and  broad-mindednes  induced 
by  forced  attention  to  both  sides  of  a  debatable  question,  the  train- 
ing in  thinking  on  one's  feet  before  an  audience  and  in  the 
presence  of  opponents, — these  and  many  other  considerations  ren- 
der debating  such  an  important  factor  in  education  that  the  teach- 
ers and  pupils  in  our  schools  cannot  afford  to  neglect  it. 

In  the  following  pages  are  set  forth  some  of  the  more  impor- 
tant principles  of  debating.  The  treatment  is  necessarily  brief. 
For  a  fuller  and  more  satisfactory  discussion,  one  or  more  of  the 
texts  mentioned  in  the  Appendix  should  be  studied, — preferably 
in  regular  class  work  under  the  guidance  of  a  teacher. 

SELECTING    AND    STATING    A    QUESTION    TOR  DEBATE 

In  the  discussions  of  every-day  life,  the  questions  are  usually 
not  selected — they  come,  and  are  discussed  as  they  arise.  But  in 
literary  and  debating  societies  the  choice  of  questions  for  debate 
is  often  a  difficult  and  always  a  very  important,  matter.  The  fol- 
lowing rules  are  therefore  suggested : 

1.  Select  live  questions. — That  is,  good  questions  for  debate 
should  be  of  educational  value  in  lines  other  than  debating  merely. 
They  should  be  questions  of  present  day  interest  and  importance. 
"Was  Hamlet,  insane?"  might  be  discussed  profitably  in  a  class  in 
English  literature,  but  such  academic  questions  should  usually 
be  avoided  in  a  debating  society.  In  general,  select  questions 
which  are  under  discussion  at  the  present  time — questions  the  so- 
lution of  which  would  be  of  genuine  benefit  to  society.  A  brief 
list  of  such  questions  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix  of  this  bul- 
letin, together  with  those  on  which  the  Extension  Department  of 
the  University  has  collected  package  libraries.  Local  questions 
should  be  used,  so  far  as  possible — questions  that  strike  home — 
rather  than  the  big  subjects  of  nation-wide  import.  A  number 
of  local  questions  can  readily  be  secured  if  the  Program  Com- 


School  Literary  Societies  21 

mittee  asks  itself  this  question:     "What  problems  in  our  school' 
town,  or  county  are  pressing  for  solution?" 

2.  Select  questions  really  debatable. — Two  classes  of  non-de- 
batable questions  are:  (1)  those  not  capable  of  approximate  proof 
or  disproof,  and  (2)  those  having  only  one  side.  Such  questions 
as,  "Is  the  pen  mightier  than  the  sword  ?"  or  "Is  the  cow  a  more 
useful  animal  than  the  horse?77  are  not  good  questions  for  debate 
because  there  is  no  common  standard  of  judgment,  and  no  satis- 
factory proof  is  possible.  So  also  questions  depending  upon  mat- 
ters of  faith,  as  in  most  religious  questions,  or  propositions  de- 
pending upon  vague  questions  of  taste,  as,  "Kesolved,  That  Poe 
is  a  greater  poet  than  Longfellow," — all  such  questions  should  be 
avoided  for  purposes  of  debate.  Again,  "Kesolved,  That  Shakes- 
peare was  a  great  poet"  is  not  debatable,  since  it  has  only  one 
side. 

The  question  should  be  stated  in  the  form  of  a  proposition; 
that  is,  something  should  be  predicated  of  the  subject.  "Mexico" 
might  be  used  as  the  subject  of  an  essay,  but  for  debate  a  predi- 
cate must  he  added;  as,  "Mexico  should  be  annexed  to  the  United 
States."  The  proposition  should  be  stated  affirmatively ;  it  should 
usually  raise  a  single  issue  only;  and  it  should  avoid  all  am- 
biguous terms.  If  the  question  proposes  a  change  in  a  present 
condition  or  policy,  the  affirmative  should  argue  for  such  change; 
as,  "Resolved,  That  Texas  should  have  woman  suffrage."  or  "Re- 
solved, That  football  should  not  be  allowed  in  schools  and  col- 
leges." Both  of  these  propositions  affirm  a  change  in  present 
conditions.  Double-headed  questions  should  be  avoided;  as, 
"Football  should  be  abolished  in  our  schools  and  volley  ball  sub- 
stituted." Again,  the  question  should  be  stated  clearly,  avoiding 
the  use  of  any  ambiguous  terms.  For  example,  take  the  question, 
"Resolved,  That  President  Wilson's  foreign  policy  is  justifiable." 
A  moment's  thought  will  show  that  this  statement  includes,  among 
other  questions,  our  policy  toward  Mexico,  the  Central  and  South 
American  States,  and  the  Philippine  Islands.  So,  such  current 
terms  as  Imperialism,  Anarchy,  Socialism,  Jingoism,  Militiarism, 
when  used  in  debate,  should  be  defined  or  limited  in  the  statement 
of  the  question. 

COLLECTING  MATERIAL   FOR  THE  DEBATE 

Most  questions  will  require  more  or  less  reading  of  books,  gov- 
ernment publications,  magazine  and  newspaper  articles,  for  the 
collection  of  facts  and  arguments.  If  a  good  public  library  is 
accessible,  that  will  of  course  be  used  in  searching  for  material. 
Other  helpful  sources  are  mentioned  in  the  Appendix  of  this  bul- 
letin. On  the  question  for  the  Interscholastic  League  debates 
each  year  the  Public  Discussion  Division  of  the  University  De- 
partment of  Extension  issues  a  bulletin  containing  a  bibliography 


22  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

and  selected  arguments  on  both  sides.  Four  copies  of  this  bul- 
letin is  sent  to  each  school  that-  remits  the  $1.00  annual  League 
membership  fee.  This  bulletin  usually  contains  sufficient  ma- 
terial for  the  average  high  school  debater. 

The  reading  should  be  thorough  and  as  extensive  as  possible, 
but  it  should  be  supplemented  by  reflection.  There  is  such  a  thing- 
as  reading  too  much — to  the  point  of  confusion.  That  is,  there 
is  danger  of  making  reading  a  substitute  for  thinking.  The  argu- 
ments of  others  should  be  thought  over  and  worked  over,  and 
stated  in  your  own  words — in  short,  make  them  your  own. 

Do  not  fail  to  read  on  both  sides  of  the  question.  The  rules 
of  the  Interscholastie'  League  debates  requires  preparation  on  both 
sides;  and  in  any  debate  you  cannot  well  argue  your  side  without 
knowing  what  can  be  said  in  opposition  to  it.  A  great  lawyer  is 
quoted  as  saying,  "If  I  have  time  to  study  only  one  side  of  a 
case,  I  study  that  of  my  adversary." 

While  doing  the  preparatory  reading  some  system  of  taking^ 
notes  should  be  used.  The  best  plan  is  to  use  cards  or  note-paper 
of  uniform  size,  writing  on  only  one  side  and  noting  only  a  sin- 
gle line  of  argument  or  group  of  facts  on  a  single  card.  Then, 
when  the  debater  has  outlined  his  argument  as  a  whole,  the  cards 
containing  arguments  bearing  on  the  same  point  can  readily  be 
grouped  together. 

ANALYZING    THE    PROPOSITION 

After  reading  on  the  question  more  or  less  extensively,  the 
principal  arguments,  pro  and  con,  will  begin  to  take  shape.  At 
this  point  the  issues  in  the  debate  should  be  definitely  deter- 
mined,— the  points  or  propositions  which,  if  established,  will  prove 
or  disprove  the  main  proposition.  This  is  the  work  of  analysis, 
and  it  is  a  matter  that  is  too  frequently  overlooked  by  the  debater. 
Analysis  is  the  process  of  determining  just  what  the  question 
means  and  just  what  are  the  essential  arguments  for  and  against 
it.  The  steps  in  analysis  are : 

1.  Define  the  quetion.  This  may  include  the  definition  of 
any  doubtful  terms,  as  well  as  explaining  the  question  as  a  whole. 
In  this  step  in  analysis,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  terms 
used  in  a  question  and  also  the  question  itself  must  be  defined  in 
the  light  of  popular  discussion.  What  is  the  origin  of  the  ques- 
tion? How  does  it  arise  as  a  subject  for  debate,  and  what  is  the 
nature  and  trend  of  public  discussion  conec-rning  it?  In  other 
words,  avoid  splitting  hairs  in  the  interpretation  of  either  single 
terms  or  of  the  question  as  a  whole.  If  there  are  really  doubtful 
terms,  both  sides  should  agree  in  advance  upon  the  interpreta- 
tion, whenever  practicable.  Reasonable  people  do  not  debate 
terms,  but  ideas;  and  an  audience  does  not  care  to  hear  debaters 


School  Literary  Societies  23 

quibble  over  terms  in  a  question,  but  wishes  to  hear  a  discussimt 
of  the  question  itself. 

2.  Exclude  all  irrelevant,   waived,   and  admitted  matter.     In 
the  analysis  of  the  proposition,  the  bounds  of  the  question  should 
be  definitely  drawn.     Note  carefully  all  points  that  are  granted 
in  the  discussion,  and  that  do  not  bear  on  the  main  issue;   in 
short,  all  matters  that  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  case. 

3.  Determine  the  issues.     You  now  come  to  the  main  point 
in  the  analysis,  determining  the  issues  in  the  debate.     It  will  be 
found  by  careful  analysis  that  almost  any  proposition  for  debate 
can   be   resolved   into  two,   three,   or   four  main   issues   which,   if 
proved,  will  prove  the  main  proposition.     These  main  issues  rep- 
resent a  clash  in  opinion — those  matters  on  which  the  contend- 
ing sides  disagree.     For  example :     "All  immigrants  to  the  United 
States  should  be  able  to  read  in  some  language."  .  If  we  study 
the   clash    of   opinions   on   this    proposition,    we    find    that   it    is 
claimed  on  the  affirmative  side  that  a  reading  test  for  immigrants 
is  reasonable  on  the  face  of  it;  that  every  intending  citizen  should 
be  able  to  read.     We  find  further,  that  those  supporting  the  affirm- 
ative claim  that  a  large  percentage  of  what  is  known  as  the  New 
Immigration  cannot  read;  that  this  gives  us  a  excess  of  unskilled 
laborers,  and  that  this  lowers  the  standard  of  wages,  and  conse- 
quently the  standard  of  living  of  the  native  American — an  eco- 
nomic  argument.     The   affirmative   further  claims   that   the   New 
Immigration  tends  to  settle  in  a  few  states  and  cities,  and  within 
those  cities  in  the  slum  districts.     This  condition  is  attended  by 
ignorance  of  our  institutions,  with  no  desire  to  become  citizens — 
a  political  argument.     It  is  further  claimed  that  these  conditions 
raise  a  serious  question  of  race  deterioration;  that  the  infusion 
of  this  people  into  our  social  body  is  "watering  the  nation's  life 
blood" — a  social  argument.     All  these  points  the  negative  denies 
or  qualifies,  and   believes  that   there  is   a  better  remedy  for  any 
evils  that  may  attend  our  present  immigration  laws.     The  affirm- 
ative and  negative  would  therefore  join  issue  on  these  four  prop- 
ositions:     (1)     A    reading    test    for    immigrants    is    inherently 
sound,   (2)  it  is  demanded  on  economic  grounds,   (3)   on  political 
grounds,  and  (4)  on  social  grounds. 

The  final  anaysis  of  a  question  should  of  course  be  worked  out 
by  the  members  of  the  debating  team  together.  Remember  that 
the  argument  of  the  members  of  the  team  should  in  fact  be  a 
single  argument;  that  is,  there  should  be  team  work.  If  such  an 
analysis  were  reached  as  given  above,  for  example,  and  if  there 
are  two  members  to  a  team,  as  is  the  case  in  the  Interscholastic 
League  debates,  the  first  speaker  would  naturally  take  the  first 
two  issues  as  given  above,  and  the  second  speaker  the  latter  two. 
The  successful  debater  must  learn  to  rest  his  case  on  one  or  two 


letin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

fundamental  arguments,  to  thoroughly  establish  these  arguments, 
and  to  stick  to  them  during  the  whole  debate. 

PROOF 

Arguments  are  established  by  means  of  proof.  Mere  assertions 
or  generalizations  will  not  do.  The  main  proposition  underlying 
your  arguments  must  be  grounded  upon  facts,  and  when  facts  are 
in  dispute,  as  frequently  happens,  the  authority  for  a  statement 
of  fact  should  be  presented  and  shown  to  be  reliable.  In  debat- 
ing, particularly,  "An  ounce  of  fact  is  worth  a  pound  of  theory." 
Other  things  being  equal,  the  debater  who  has  the  best  array  of 
facts  is  the  one  who  wins  his  case.  In  listening  to  a  debate,  the 
instinctive  demand  of  the  hearers  is,  "Show  us  your  proof,  if  we 
are  to  believe  your  side  of  the  question." 

Proof  consists  in  the  use  of  various  kinds  of  evidence.  Evi- 
dence may  be  what  is  called  direct  or  testimonial,  that  is,  the 
direct  statement  of  witnesses  or  experts  regarding  a  question; 
and,  secondly,  indirect  or  circumstantial  evidence,  which  consists 
of  inferences  drawn  from  fact ;  that  is,  it  consists  in  reasoning 
about  facts. 

In  the  use  of  testimonial  evidence,  in  case  the  facts  are  in 
dispute,  the  nature  and  source  of  the  evidence  should  be  examined 
carefully,  and  the  best  evidence  always  obtained  so  far  as  possible. 
Thus,  if  a  witness  has  no  personal  interest  in  the  matter  concern- 
ing which  he  is  testifying,  and  if  he  is  known  to  be  honest  and 
reliable,  this  will  give  his  testimony  more  weight  than  might 
otherwise  be  the  case.  So  far  a,s  the  debater  is  concerned,  the 
most  usual  form  of  testimonial  evidence  is  what  is  known  as  the 
argument  from  authority.  This  consists  of  quoting  testimony, 
both  as  to  the  facts  and  inferences  from  facts,  from  men  and 
books,  or  from  any  other  sources  that  have  come  to  be  regarded 
as  authoritative  on  the  question  on  which  they  are  quoted.  The 
test  of  the  argument  from  authoritv  is,  (1)  Is  the  person  or 
document  an  authority  on  the  particular  question  under  discus- 
sion? and,  (2)  Are  they  so  regarded  by  the  hearers?  Thus,  the 
report  of  the  Immigration  Commission  is  excellent  authority  on 
any  immigration  question,  because  it  is  the  work  of  an  expert 
body  of  men  employed  by  the  government  to  make  an  exhaustive 
and  non-partisan  study  of  our  immigration  problems.  And  one 
of  the  first  questions  to  ask  about  evidence  from  authority  is,  Is 
the  matter  quoted  the  finding  of  an  expert?  In  the  use  of  evi- 
dence from  authority,  the  source  and  value  of  the  authority  quoted 
should  be  briefly  indicated  to  the  hearers.  Quoting  from  some 
popular  magazine,  or  from  some  John  Smith  of  whom  the  audi- 
ence has  never  heard,  is  wholly  ineffective. 

Turning  to  circumstantial  evidence,  a  familiar  kind  of  argu- 


School  Literary  Societies  25 

rnent  is  that  from  example.  This  is  a  process  of  reasoning-by- 
comparison — from  the  known  to  the  unknown.  There  are  two 
common  forms  of  this  kind  of  argument:  Generalization  and 
Analogy.  Generalization  is  the  process  by  which  a  conclusion 
drawn  from  known  facts  is  extended  to  facts  unknown  and  un- 
observed. For  example:  If  it  is  found  that  several  cities  in 
Texas  have  been  successful  with  the  commission  form  of  govern- 
ment, the  conclusion  may  be  drawn  that  such  a  form  of  govern- 
ment should  be  adopted  in  other  cities  in  the  State.  The  tests 
of  this  argument  are:  (1)  Have  enough  examples  been  ob- 
served to  warrant  the  generalization?  and  (2)  Are  the  examples 
taken  typical  of  the  class?  That  is,  are  conditions  similar  in  the 
cities  that  have  and  those  that  do  not  have  the  commission  form 
of  government.  If  either  of  these  tests  fail,  the  generalization  is 
invalid. 

The  argument,  from  analogy  is  based  on  resemblance.  Its  most 
common  use  by  debaters  is  the  argument  that  because  a  certain 
policy  has  succeeded  in  one  locality,  it  will  succeed  in  another 
where  conditions  are  the  same.  For  example :  If  Woman's  Suf- 
frage has  been  successful  in  Colorado,  it  will  also  be  successful  in 
Texas.  In  using  this  argument,  the  tests  are:  (1)  Has  the 
policy  actually  succeeded  in  the  case  or  cases  named?  and  (2) 
Are  the  conditions  of  the  two  localities  the  same  in  essential  par- 
ticulars? Failure  to  establish  either  of  thes  points  destroys  the 
force  of  the  analogy. 

The  argument  from  causal  relationship  is  one  of  the  most  com- 
mon forms  of  argument  in  debating.  It  is  the  process  of  reason- 
ing from  cause  to  effect,  and  from  effect  to  cause.  For  example: 
From  the  fact  of  the  building  of  the  Panama  Canal  and  the 
large  sale  of  tickets  by  the  steamship  companies  to  immigrants, 
the  conclusion  is  reached  that  when  the  Canal  is  opened  there  will 
be  a  large  influx  of  immigrants  to  the  South  and  to  the  Pacific 
Coast,  and  this  influx  will  give  rise  to  labor  problems  and  prob- 
lems of  assimilation.  This  is  reasoning  from  cause  to  effect.  On 
the  other  hand,  by  observing  the  bad  industrial  and  social  condi- 
tions in  some  of  the  Eastern  States,  where  the  foreign  population 
is  large,  the  debater  may  come  to  the  conclusion  that  these  con- 
ditions are  caused  by  our  practically  unrestricted  European  im- 
migration. Such  a  conclusion  is  based  on  reasoning  from  effect 
to  cause.  Now  there  is  great  danger  in  using  either  of  these 
processes  to  the  exclusion  of  the  other.  The  tests  of  the  value 
of  the  argument  of  causal  relation  are:  (1)  Is  the  cause  suffi- 
cient to  produce  the  alleged  effect?  (2)  Are  other  causes  ignored 
that  might  have  prodcued  a  similar  effect?  A  failure  to  apply 
these  tests  in  much  of  our  popular  discussion  is  readily  apparent. 
For  example:  An  argument  that  a  given  tariff  produces  either 


26 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


good  times  or  hard  times  plainly  fails  to  take  account  of  other 
acting  causes. 

REFUTATION 

By  refutation,  or  rebuttal,  is  meant  the  answering  of  opposing 
-•arguments.  It  is  a  general  rule  in  debating  that  no  new  argu- 
ment can  be  introduced  in  the  rebuttal  speech.  Additional  proof, 
however,  may  be  offered  in  answer  to  any  attack  upon  any  argu- 
ment that  was  presented  in  the  speaker's  main  speech. 

The  principal  rule  for  good  rebuttal  is:  Answer  only  the  strong 
arguments  against  you.  And  this  is  a  rule  that  it  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  carry  out  an  actual  practice.  In  debating  any  question 
there  are  vary  and  sundry  arguments  more  or  less  related  to  the 
question,  but  which  are  not  vital  enough  to  demand  any  particu- 
lar attention,  if,  indeed,  any  attention  at  all.  A  debater  should 
try  to  avoid  a  scattering  effect  in  rebuttal  work — hitting  at  vari- 
out  points  without  really  delivering  a  solid  shot  at  some  vital 
point.  The  best  form  of  rebuttal  is  the  strengthening  of  your 
argument  wherever  it  has  been  attacked;  recalling  the  minds  of 
the  hearers  to  the  main  issues;  showing  that  you  have  proved 
your  case;  showing  that  your  proof  is  better  than  that  of  your 
opponents;  that  the  lines  of  argument  that  you  have  offered  are 
vital  to  the  discussion,  and  that  they  have  been  established. 

DETECTING    FALLACIES 

Any  unsound  reasoning  is  known  as  a  fallacy.  The  ways  of 
detecting  fallacies  in  the  arguments  previously  mentioned  have 
been  suggested  in  naming  the  tests  of  each  of  these  arguments. 
In  addition  to  the  fallacies  which  may.  be  detected  by  application 
of  these  tests,  there  are  certain  special  forms  which  demand  a 
moment's  notice: 

Ignoring  the  Question. — A  debater  ignores  the  question  when 
he  presents  evidence  which  has  no  bearing  on  the  real  question 
under  discussion.  The  fallacy  consists  in  arguing  beside  the 
point.  This  is  illustrated  by  the  advice  given  -  to  a  young  at- 
torney in  a  weak  case :  "Abuse  the  opposing  attorney."  So  the 
politician,  called  upon  to  reply  to  a  criticism  upon  some  party 
measure,  is  apt  to  indulge  in  vague  talk  about  "Local  Self-gov- 
ernment/' "The  Constitution,"  and  the  like.  Another  wa 
ignoring  the  real  question  at  issue  is  to  do  nothing  more  than  to 
raise  objections  to  the  arguments  presented  on  the  other  side, 
sometimes  called  the  "fallacy  of  objections."  But  merely  raising 
an  objection  is  no  argument  against  a  claim,  provided  the  reason 
for  it  it  as  favorable  as  or  stronger  than  the  objection. 

Begging  the  Question. — This  fallacy  consists,  generally  speak- 
ing, in  asserting  what  is  to  be  proved.  One  way  to  beg  the  ques- 


School  Literary  Societies  27' 

tion  is  by  the  use  of  ambiguous  terms, — using  a  word  at  one  time 
in  one  sense  and  at  another  time  in  a  different  sense.  Again, 
what  is  known  as  arguing  in  a  circle,  is  probably  the  commonest 
form  of  this  fallacy.  It  consists  in  assuming  the  truth  of  a  con- 
clusion as  a  means  of  proving  it.  For  example,  "A  prohibitory 
law  should  be  enacted,  for  this  is  the  only  way  to  control  the- 
liquor  traffic,"  begs  the  question,  since  the  reason  stated  really 
assumes  the  truth  of  the  main  question. 

Following  are  some  of  the  special  methods  of  refuting: 

(1)  Reductio  ad  Absurdum. — One  of  the  most  effective  means 
of  refutation  is  that  of  reducing  an  argument  to  an  absurdity.. 
The  debater  assumes  for  the  moment  that  a  given  proposition, 
is  true,  and  then  points  out  the  absurd  results  to  which  it  leads.. 
Whenever  there  is  a,  good  openning  for  the  employment  of  this 
method,  it  is,  by  reason  of  its  simplicity  and  directness,  together- 
with  the  humor  that  frequently  accompanies  it,  very  effective. 

(2)  The  Dilemma. — This  is  really  a  special  form  of  the  Re- 
duotio  ad  Absurdum.     It  arises  when  one  can  show  that  an  op- 
ponent's proposition  must  lead  to  two  alternate  results,  and  then- 
can  show  the  absurdity  of  both  of  these  results.     The  opponent  is 
thus  placed,   as  it  is  commonly  said,   "between   the  horns  of   a 
dilemma."     He  who  uses  this  method  says,  in  substance,  "The 
argument  on  the  other  side  leads  to  one  of  two  results,"  or  "My 
opponent  takes  these  two  positions,  neither  of  which  can  stand; 
hence  his  contention  falls." 

(3)  The  Method  of  Residues. — This  is  argument  which  may 
be  used  either  in  a  direct,  constructive  argument,  or  in  rebuttal. 
It  is  also  called  the  argument  of  logical  exclusion.     The  debater 
points  out  certain  prominent  features  of  the  case  in  point,  and 
makes  these  representative   or  determinative   of  the  whole  case.. 
For  example :     On  the  question  of  the  solution  of  the  Negro  Prob- 
lem, a  student  argues  that  the  following  embrace  all  the  possible 
ways  of  solving  the  race  problem:     (1)     Educate  the  Negro  and 
recognize  him  as  an  equal  co-citizen;  (2)  Let  the  two  races  amal- 
gamate, and  become  one  race;  (3)  Let  the  Negro  remain  a  citizen 
in  name,  but  in  reality  an  inferior  and  servant;  and   (4)   Deport 
him  to  one  of  our  island  possessions,  and,  with  the  Government's' 
aid,  let  him  work  out  his  own  salvation.    He  then  argues  that  only 
the  latter  of  these  plans  will  work.     The  tests  of  the  method  of 
Eesidues  are:     (1)     All  possible  phases  of  the  question  must  be 
presented,  and  (2)  all  the  proposed  plans  or  propositions  must  be 
refuted  except  the  one  the  debater  wishes  to  establish.     Whenever 
a  question  lends  itself  to  this  method,  it  is  very  effective  for  use  in 
the  opening  analysis  and  for  the  affirmative  argument,  as  well  as. 
in  rebuttal 


28 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


DELIVERY 


Should  the  debater  memorize  his  argument,  or  should  he  speak 
from  full  notes,  after  a  thorough  study  of  the  question,  extem- 
porizing the  language  at  the  time  of  its  delivery?  No  invariable 
answer  to  this  question  can  be  given  to  fit  all  cases.  Just  how 
.much  a  debater  will  depend  on  a  memorized  argument  will,  in 
turn,  depend  on  the  individual.  For  the  main  speech  (speaking 
now  of  the  Interscholastic  League  debates)  the  average  high-school 
.'student  will  need  to  get  his  argument  pretty  well  in  mind.  At 
•any  rate,  it  will  be  necessary  for  him  to  write  it  out  in  advance, 
for  this  insures  orderliness  and  economizes  words.  But  even 
though  the  main  speech  be  memorized,  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to 
to  give  a  brief,  direct  reply  to  a  preceding  speaker  in  opening  one's 
main  speech,  and  to  depart  from  a  prepared  speech  when  this  be- 
comes necessary  to  meet  the  case  presented  by  the  opposing  side. 
In  any  event,  the  debater,  after  practice  in  thinking  on  his  feet, 
should  gradually  learn  not  to  depend  on  a  cut-and-dried  speech. 
In  the  rebuttal  speech,  at  any  rate,  one  must  learn  to  depend,  at 
least  in  part,  upon  the  extemporaneous  method.  •  A  memorized 
rebuttal  that  does  not  fit  the  case  which  the  other  side  has  pre- 
sented, is  ridiculous. 

As  to  the  method  of  delivery  general!}-,  all  that  can  here  be 
said  is,  make  your  speech  a  direct,  strong  talk.  Do  not  "elocute" 
or  "orate."  Remember  that  an  audience  is  simply  a  collection  of 
individuals,  and  you  should  therefore  talk  out  your  argument 
clearly,  earnestly,  and  forcibly,  just  as  if  you  were  talking  to  an 
individual  in  earnest  conversation.  Of  course,  the  demands  of 
an  audience  room  require  that  the  voice  be  given  more  carrying 
power  than  in  ordinary  conversation,  and  that  one  must  make  a 
special  effort  to  speak  distinctly,  and  not  so  rapidly  but  that  the 
hearers  can  gather  in  your  arguments  as  you  proceed.  Stand  up 
easily,  do  not  sag  nor  brace,  nor  constantly  move  about,  talk  di- 
rectly to  your  hearers,  and  do  not  constantly  wave  the  arms  in 
gesture.  When  you  feel  that  a  direct,  emphatic  gecture  will  aid 
or  emphasize  your  argument,  use  it.  But  never  gesture  simply 
for  the  purpose  of  gesture.  Those  gestures  that  come  spontane- 
ously are  the  best,  and  are  enough. 

ETHICS   OF   DEBATING 

There  are  two  cardinal  principles  of  debating  which  should  al- 
ways be  kept  in  mind  and  put  into  practice.  These  are:  (1) 
Be  honest,  and  (2)  Be  respectful  to  your  opponent  and  to  his 
arguments. 

The  necessity  for  honesty  arises  in  two  ways:  in  the  presenta- 
tion of  your  own  argument,  and  in  the  handling  of  that  of  your 
opponent.  The  form  of  statement  of  your  argument  should  be 


School  Literary  Societies  29 

absolutely  your  own;  that  is,  it  should  be  in  your  own  language, 
and  not  copied  from  some  one  else.  Ideas  may  be  borrowed;  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  all  of  us  borrow  arguments  by  the  wholesale;  but 
the  point  is,  the  way  of  stating  these  arguments  should  be  your 
own  work.  Of  course,  if  the  language  of  another  is  stated  as 
•quoted  matter,  that  is  admissible.  Again,  whenever  you  have  oc- 
casion to  restate  an  argument  of  your  opponent,  state  it  fairly. 
In  this  respect  the  amateur  in  debate  needs  especially  to  watch 
himself.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  foolish  to  say  that  your  opponent 
said  so  and  so,  when  your  hearers  know  better.  Any  appearance 
of  unfairness  in  the  handling  of  your  opponent's  argument  only 
prejudices  the  hearers  against  your  own  argument. 

(2)  Good  debating  means  a  search  for  and  presentation  of 
the  truth  on  each  side  of  a  given  question.  In  a  really  debatable 
question  all  of  the  truth  is  never  on  one  side.  The  very  idea  that 
a  thing  is  debatable  assumes  that  there  is  another  side.  Hence, 
your  opponents  and  their  arguments  should  always  be  treated  with 
respect.  Young  debaters  frequently  make  the  mistake  of  oppos- 
ing everything  that  is  said  on  the  other  side,  and  attempt  to 
annihilate  an  opponent  instead  of  showing  him  his  errors.  It  is 
said  of  Lincoln  that  he  often  surprised  young  attorneys  by  the 
fair  and  strong  statement  of  his  opponent's  case.  Whenever  a 
debater  uses  such  expressions  as,  "He  gets  up  here  and  foolishly 
asserts  so  and  so/'  "He  harps  about  this  point,"  etc.,  it  shows  that 
he  has  a  wrong  idea  of  what  debating  really  is,  and  the  wrong 
attitude  toward  those  on  the  other  side.  Other  exhibitions  along 
the  same  lines  are  shown  when  a  speaker  dramatically  challenges 
his  opponents  by  turning  from  the  audience  and  addresses  them 
alone,  accompanied,  perhaps,  by  a  quasi-withering  look  or  gest- 
ure; or  flaunts  an  authority  in  their  faces;  or  otherwise  conducts 
himself  in  an  hysterical  manner  when  there  is  no  special  cause  for 
excitement,  and  when  his  argument  would  be  far  more  effective  if 
presented  in  a  more  respectful  and  dignified  manner. 

Finally,  the  debaters  should  remember  that  the  judges  are  more 
competent  to  pass  upon  the  total  effect  of  the  argument  on  each 
side  than  are  the  debaters  themselves.  The  right  principle  to 
proceed  on  is  to  do  the  best  you  can  in  presenting  your  argument, 
and  leave  the  decision  absolutely  to  the  judges.  Here  again  ref- 
erence is  had  more  particularly  to  the  debates  of  the  Interscho- 
lastic  League.  Wrangling  over  decisions  is  unsportsmanlike,  and 
accomplishes  nothing.  The  debater  •  should  take  to  heart  the  ad- 
vice frequently  given  in  other  contests,  "Be  a  good  sport."  And 
in  debating,  as  in  other  things  in  life,  it  is  fine  training  for  one 
to  learn  how  to  lose  as  well  as  how  to  win. 


30  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


APPENDIX 

Following  is  a  selected  list  of  books  in  the  field  of  public  speak- 
ing and  debate.  Some  or  all  of  these  books  should  be  in  every 
school  or  literary  society  library.  In  preference  to  sending  or- 
ders to  out-of-state  publishers,,  some  or  all  of  these  books  can  be 
ordered  through  the  Southern  School  Book  Depository,  Dallas,  or 
the  C.  A.  Bryant  Company,  Dallas.  Many  of  the  books  are  kept 
in  stock  by  one  of  these  houses. 

I.      TEXT-BOOKS    ON   DEBATING 

Shurter,  Science  and  Art  of  Debate.  $1.35.  South- West  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  Austin.  A  manual  for  teachers  using  this  book  is  in 
preparation. 

Poster,  Argumentation  and  Debating.  $1.25.  Houghton,  Mif- 
flin  Co.,  Chicago. 

Thomas,  Manual  of  Debate.  $.80.  American  Book  Co.,  New 
York,  Chicago,  and  Dallas.  "A  compact  manual  for  beginners," 
including  a  number  of  briefs  for  head-on  debates. 

The  texts  above  named  are  recommended  to  students  who  do 
not  have  the  aid  of  a  teacher. 

Baker  and  Huntington,  The  Principles  of  Argumentation. 
$1.25.  Ginn  &  Company,  Dallas.  This  is  a  pioneer  and  standard 
text,  but  the  treatment  is  rather  too  elaborate  and  difficult  for  use 
without  a  teacher. 

Pattee,  Practical  Argumentation.  $1.00.  The  Century  Co., 
New  York. 

Gardner,  The  Making  of  Arguments.  $1.00.  Ginn  &  Com- 
pany, Boston  and  Dallas. 

Alden,  Art  of  Debate.     $1.00.     Henry  Holt  &  Co.,  New  York. 

II.      BOOKS  CONTAINING  BRIEFS,  COMPLETE  DEBATES,  DEBATING 
MATERIAL,    AND    REFERENCE    LISTS 

Brookings,  W.  D.,  and  Ringwalt,  R.  C.,  Briefs  for  Debate. 
$1.25.  Longmans,  Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

Ringwalt,  R.  C.,  Briefs  on  Public  Questions.  $1.00.  Long- 
mans, Green  &  Co.,  New  York. 

Askew,  J.  B.,  Pros  and  Cons.  $.60.  E.  P.  Dutton  &  Co.,  New 
York.  This  is  an  English  work,  but  it  contains  many  questions 
of  interest  to  Americans. 

Pros  and  Cons.     $1.50.     Hinds,  Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York. 

Shurter  and  Taylor,  One  Hundred  Public  Questions  Briefly 
Debated.  $1.25.  Southwest  Publishing  Company,  Austin.  This 
book  contains  outlined  arguments,  affirmative  and  negative,  on 
the  questions  submitted,  together  with  affirmativve  and  negative 


School  Literary  Societies  31 

references.  The  briefs  are  not  as  full  as  those  given  in  the  first 
two  books  named  above. 

Pearson  and  Nichols,  Intercollegiate  Debates,  3  vols.  $1.50 
each.  Hinds,  Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York.  These  volumes 
contain  full  reports  of  the  speeches  delivered  in  many  of  the  most 
important  intercollegiate  debates  held  in  the  United  States  dur- 
ing the  past  four  years.  In  using  them  the  debater  should  avoid 
any  slavish  following  of  the  outline  or  language  of  the  speeches. 
The  proper  attitude  is  to  treat  these  debates  on  the  same  basis  as 
any  other  articles  on  the  question. 

Poolers  Index  and  Readers  Guide.  These  are  index  books  con- 
taining reference  by  writer  and  subject  to  all  of  the  periodical 
literature.  They  are  to  be  found  in  all  of  the  public  and  college 
libraries  where  the  periodicals  for  'the  past  years  are  kept. 

Carnegie  Library  of  Pittsburg,  Debate  Inedx.     $.20. 

The  H.  W.  Wilson  Company,  White  Plains,  New  York,  has 
•selected  arguments  on  the  affirmative  and  negative  sides  of  a 
number  of  questions  in  the  Debaters  Handbook  Series,  each  vol- 
ume $1.00.  Most  of  these  books  are  kept  on  hand  for  loaning  by 
the  Public  Discussion  Division  of  the  University  Department  of 
Extension. 

III.  TEXT-BOOKS    ON    PUBLIC    SPEAKING 

Shurter,  Public  Speaking.  $1.00.  An  elementary  treatise  on 
delivery.  The  Rhetoric  of  Oratory.  $1.10.  A  treatise  on  ora,- 
torical  composition.  These  books  can  be  secured  from  the  Uni- 
versity Cooperative  Society,  Austin.  Extempore  Speaking,  $.90. 
•Ginn  &  Company,  Dallas. 

Phillips,  Effective  Speaking.     $1.50.     Newton  Co.,  Chicago. 

Winter,  Public  Speaking,  Principles  and  Practice.  $1.00.  The 
Macmillan  Company,  New  York. 

Clark  and  Blanchard,  Practical  Public  Speaking.  $1.00.  Chas. 
Scribner's  Sons,  New  York. 

Pearson  and  Hicks,  Extemporaneous  Speaking.  $1.25.  Hinds, 
Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York. 

IV.  DECLAMATION'S.   RECITATIONS,    ETC. 

Shurter,  American  Oratory  of  Today.  $1.35.  Southwest  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  Austin.  A  collection  of  five-minute  declamations 
from  present  day  American  speakers.  Modern  American  Speaker. 
$1.25.  Hinds,  Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York.  The  selections  in 
this  book  differ  from  the  preceding  in  that  they  are  not  all  by 
present  day  speakers,  some  of  the  "old  favorites"  being  included. 

A  collection  of  junior  declamations  will  be  published  soon. 

Frink,  The  New  Century  Speaker.     $1.00.     Ginn  &  Co.,  Dallas. 

Espenhade,  Forensic  Declamations.  $.75.  Scott,  Foresman  & 
Co.,  Chicago. 


32  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

Pieces  That  Have  Taken  Prizes  in  Speaking  Contests.  $1.25. 
Hinds,  Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York. 

Three-Minute  Declamations  for  College  Men.  $1.25.  Hinds, 
Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York. 

Hyde,  Reader  and  Speaker.     $1.00.     Ginn  &  Co.,  Dallas. 

For  books  containing  recitations,  dialogues,  etc.,  for  school  en- 
tertainments, write  for  lists  to  the  C.  A.  Bryant  Co.,  Dallas;  The 
Southern  School  Book  Depository,  Dallas;  Hinds,  Noble  &  Eld- 
redge, New  York;  Penn  Publishing  Co.,  Philadelphia,  or  Dick  & 
Fitzgerald,  New  York. 

V.   BOOKS  ON  PARLIAMENTARY  PROCEDURE 

Robert,  Rules  of  Order.  $.75.  Scott,  Foresman  &  Co.,  Chi- 
cago. This  is  a,  standard  work  on  parliamentary  procedure. 

Gushing,  Manual  of  Parliamentary  Practice.  $.35.  Jno.  C. 
Winston  Company,  Philadelphia. 

Henry,  How  to  Organize  and  Conduct  a  Meeting.  $.75.  Hinds,, 
Noble  &  Eldredge,  New  York. 

Paul,  Parliamentary  Law  with  Diagram!  of  Motions.  $.75. 
Century  Company,  New  York. 

Goggin,  Parliamentary  Law.  Penn  Publishing  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. 

Crowe,  Vest  Pocket  Parliamentary  Pointer.  $.10.  Thos.  J. 
Crowe,  Detroit,  Mich. 

The  Public  Discussion  Division  of  the  University  Department 
of  Extension  has  package  libraries  on  a  number  of  subjects,  and 
others  are  constantly  being  added.  These  package  libraries  in- 
clude more  or  less  material  in  the  way  of  books,  bulletins,  pam- 
phlets, clippings,  etc.  They  are  loaned  to  citizens  of  Texas  for 
a  period  of  two  weeks.  The  person  to  whom  the  material  is 
loaned  pays  the  postage  or  express  both  ways.  Following  is  a  list 
of  subjects  on  which  package  libraries  are  ready  at  the  time  this 
bulletin  goes  to  press.  The  prices  quoted  are  only  for  out-of-State 
residents. 

1.  Banking  and  Currency  Reform  (intercollegiate  debate),  10 
cents. 

2.  '  Capital  Punishment. 

3.  Child  Labor. 

4.  Commission  Form  of  City  Government. 

5.  Compulsory  Arbitration  of  Industrial  Disputes. 

6.  Compulsory    Education    (bibliography    and    selected    argu- 
ments), 15  cents. 

7.  Conservation  of  Natural  Resources. 

8.  Direct  Primaries. 

9.  Education   (Selected  Addresses  on),  15  cents. 


School  Literary  Societies  33- 

10.  Educational  Improvement  and  Social  Reform. 

11.  Employment  of  Women. 

12.  Federal  Control  of  Interstate  Corporations. 

13.  Free  Trade  vs.  Protection. 

14.  Immigration   (Literacy  Test). 

15.  Initiative    and    Referendum    (intercollegiate    debate),    10 
cents. 

16.  Literary  Societies   (bulletin). 

17.  Municipal  Ownership 'of  Public  Utilities. 

18.  Old  Age  Insurance  (intercollegiate  debate),  10  cents. 

19.  Open  vs.  Closed  Shop. 

20.  Peace. 

21.  Penitentiary  Reform. 

22.  Prohibition  and  the  Liquor  Problem. 

23.  Reciprocity. 

24.  Parcels  Post. 

25.  Tariff'  and  Free  Raw  Material. 

26.  Texas'  Need  of  the  Services  of  Higher  Education   (prize 
orations),  10  cents. 

27.  Trade  Unions. 

28.  Woman   Suffrage    (bibliography  and   selected  arguments), 
15  cents. 

Including  the  above  subjects,  as  well  as  others  on  which  no 
package  libraries  are  ready  at  present,  the  following  are  sug- 
gested as  questions  for  debate.  These  questions  are  intended  to 
be  suggestive  merely;  many  local  questions  will  readily  suggest 
themselves.  In  fact,  many  of  the  questions  that  follow  are  adapted 
onJy  to  mature  club  members.  Use  local  questions,  so  far  as  possi- 
ble: What  problems  pertaining  to  your  school,  town,  or  county 
demand  discussion? 

QUESTIONS    FOR   DEBATE 

1.  Resolved,  That  co-education  in  the  high  school  is  undesirable. 

2.  Resolved,  That  high  school  fraternities  should  not  be  allowed. 

3.  Resolved,  That  in  the  debates  of  the  University  Interscho- 

lastic  League  there  should  be  no  distinction  between  boys 
and  girls. 

4.  Resolved,  That  Texas  should  abolish  capital  punishment. 

5.  Resolved,  That  all  cities  in  Texas  of  five  thousand  popula- 

tion and  over  should  have  a  Commission  Form  of  govern- 
ment. 

6.  Resolved,    That   a    State   Commission   should   be   created   in 

Texas  with   power   of   compulsory  arbitration   of   disputes 
between  public  service  corporations  and  organized  labor. 

7.  Resolved,  That  there  should  be  a  still  further  reduction  in 

our  tariff  schedules. 


"34  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

8.  Resolved,   That  Texas   should  have   a  compulsory  education 

law. 

9.  Resolved,,  That  Texas  should  have  suffrage  for  women. 

10.  Resolved,  That  all  immigrants  to  the  United  States  should 

be  able  to  read  in  some  language. 

11.  Resolved,  That  Texas  should  adopt  the  Initiative  and  Refer- 

endum. 

12.  Resolved,  That  this  city  (or  town)  should  own  its  own  water- 

works (or  street  cars,  gas  plant,  etc.). 

-13.     Resolved,   That  a  system   of   compulsory   old   age  insurance 
should  be  adopted  in  the  United  States. 

14.  Resolved,  That  the  Closed  Shop  is  justifiable. 

15.  Resolved,  That  the  annexation  of  Mexico  to  the  United  States 

would  be  to  the  best  interests  of  both  countries. 

16.  Resolved,  That  in  our  Penitentiary  System  corporal  punish- 

ment should  be  absolutely  prohibited. 

17.  Resolved,  That  the  Honor  System  should  be  adopted  in  deal- 

ing with  convicts. 

18.  Resolved,  That  Texas  should  adopt  Statewide  Prohibition. 

19.  Resolved,  That  Texas  should  have  a  Constitutional  Tax  for 

the  support  of  its  institutions  of  higher  learning. 
"20.     Resolved,  That  labor  unions  are  more  harmful  than  beneficial 

to  workingmen. 
21.     Resolved,  That  the  Resident  of  the  United  States  be  elected 

for  a  term  of  six  years  and  be  ineligible  for  re-election. 
~22.     Resolved,  That  the  United  States  Senate  should  be  abolished, 

constitutionality  waived. 

23.  Resolved,  That  judges  in  Texas  should  be  subject  to  popular 

recall,  constitutionality  waived. 

24.  Resolved,  That  suffrage  in  Texas  should  require  an  educa- 

tional qualification. 

25.  Resolved,  That  the  Monroe  Doctrine  should  be  abandoned  by 

the  United  States. 
36.     Resolved,  That  in  criminal  trials  three-fourths  of  the  jury 

should  be  competent  to  render  a  verdict. 
"27.     Resolved,  That  our  legislation  should  be  shaped  toward  the 

abandonment  of  the  protective  tariff. 

28.  Resolved,  That  Texas  should  adopt  a  system  of  the  single 

tax,  constitutionality  waived. 

29.  Resolved,  That  Congress  should  be  given  exclusive  jurisdiction 

of  marriage  and  divorce  in  all  the  States,  constitutionality 
waived. 

30.  Resolved,  That  the  Texas  Legislature  should  prohibit  secret 

fraternities    and    sororities    in    the    State    institutions  %  of 
higher  learning. 

-31.     Resolved,  That  our  present  policy  of  excluding  the  Chinese 
from  this  country  is  unjustifiable. 


School  Literary  Societies  35 

32.  Resolved,  That  the  United  States  should  adopt  a  policy  of 

gradually  increasing  our  navy. 

33.  Resolved,  That  the  rules  of  the   Simplified   Spelling  Board 

should  be  adopted. 

34.  Resolved,  That  the  United  States  should  permanently  retain 

the  Philippine  Islands. 

35.  Resolved,  That  an  eight-hour  day  for  common  laborers  should 

be  generally  adopted. 

36.  Resolved,  That  football  should   be  abolished  in  the  schools 

and  colleges. 

37.  Resolved,  That  the  doctrine  of  Christian  Science  is  justifi- 

able. 

38.  Resolved,  That  a  business  manager  form  of  city  government,. 

as   established    at   Dayton,    Ohio,    should    be    adopted    by 


39.  Resolved,  That  the  taxation  system  now  in  force  in  Houston 

should  be  generally  adopted/  by  Texas  municipalities. 

40.  Resolved,  That  all  the  large  cities  of  the  United  States  should 

employ  women  as  well  as  men  on  their  police  force. 

41.  Resolved,  That  in  all  public  educational  institutions  vaccina- 

tion should  be  made  compulsory. 

42.  Resolved,  That  a  man  intending  to  enter  a  business  career 

should  take  a  general  college  course. 

43.  Resolved,  That  Texas  should  adopt  a  plan  for  compulsory  vot- 

ing, based  on  a  system  of  fines. 

44.  Resolved,  That  a  national  Progressive  party  should  be  main- 

tained. 

45.  Resolved,  That  the  United  States  should  establish  a,  protec- 

torate over  Mexico  until  stable  government  is  assured. 

46.  Resolved,  That  an  honor  system  in  examinations  should  be 

adopted  in  this  school. 

47.  Resolved,  That  high  school  studies,  excepting  English,  should 

be  made  elective. 

48.  Resolved,  That  supervised  gymnasium  work  should  be  substi- 

tuted for  high  school  athletic  contests. 

49.  Resolved,  That  students  in  the  ward  schools  should  be  al- 

lowed to  play  on  the  high  school  athletic  teams  of  the  same 
town. 

50.  Resolved,  That  Rugby  football  should  be  introduced  as  a  sub- 

stitute for  "American"  football  in  colleges  and  schools  of 
the  United  States. 


